Notable events involving K XV include:

The history of HrMs K XV as compiled on this page is extracted from the patrol reports, logbooks of this submarine and several other files found at the British archives at Kew, London and the Dutch archives at The Hague, Netherlands.

9 Dec 1941HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) ended her 1st war patrol at Tarakan. She departed again later the same day for her 2nd war patrol. Course was set to patrol in the Celebes Sea with the other two boats of the 3rd Dutch submarine division.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

24 Dec 1941HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) was off Kuching. At 1500 hours (zone -7.5) an attack was started on a Japanese destroyer in approximate position 01°58'N, 110°28'E but before torpedoes could be fired the destroyer turned away.

25 Dec 1941HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) was still off Kuching. During the morning she was hunted by Japanese destroyers but these never obtained contact on her and by the time they dropped some depth charges K XV had made her escape from the area and none were close.

28 Feb 1942During the night of 28 February / 1 March, HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN), makes a short call at Tandjong Priok (now Batavia) to take on board fuel. After fuelling course was set towards Bantam Bay to attack the Japanese invasion force.

1 Mar 1942At 1230 hours (zone -7.5) HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) attacked the Japanese naval tanker Tsurumi (10450 GRT, built 1922, offsite link) with two torpedoes to the North of the Bantam Bay. One hit was obtained and Tsurumi was damaged.

Following this attack K XV is depth charged. A total of about 60 depth charges was dropped. K XV was damaged, fuel tanks were leaking. The damaged fuel tank was flushed out with seawater the following night after K XV had retired to the North. 2 March was spent off Noordwachter (Pulau Harapan) to make repairs and give the crew some rest. In the evening course was then set to escape to the Indian Ocean through the Sunda Strait.

6 Mar 1942HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) arrived at Veeckens Bay (at Pulau Pagai off the West coast of Sumatra) where fuel was taken on board from Dutch naval tanker TAN 8 that was stationed there together with Dutch sloop HrMs Soemba (Cdr P.J.G. Huijer, RNN).

3 May 1942HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Colombo for her 5th war patrol. She was to carry out a special operation. Lt. Wijnmalen was to be landed to the South of Padang. He was to gather information and was then to be picked up again on 24 May. In the meantime K XV was to patrol off the West coast of Sumatra.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

4 Nov 1943HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Holy Loch for Gibraltar. This was the first leg of the trip to the Far East. Escort was provided for the passage South through the Irish Sea by HMS Cutty Sark (Cdr.(Retd.) R.H. Mack, RN).

5 Nov 1943HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) made a short call at Holyhead for some small repairs to her radio transmitter.

1 Feb 1944HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Colombo for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South-West coast of Sumatra, in the Sunda Strait, to reconnoitre Christmas Island and then to proceed towards Fremantle, Australia.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

9 Mar 1944HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Fremantle for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Fremantle (the reason for this patrol is not known to us but a Japanese cruiser force was on a raiding mission in the Indian Ocean and it is possible that this was the reason).

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

12 Mar 1944HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) returned to Fremantle a day early. She was only supposed to return the next day but there was a mistake in the orders she had received. She went out again and resumed her 7th war patrol after only two hours in port.

13 Apr 1944HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Darwin for her 8th war patrol. She was to carry out a special operation. The members of the 'Prawn' party had to be landed on the coast of New Guinea.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

24 Apr 1944In the morning HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) sinks a small Japanese patrol vessel with gunfire off Waigeo Island in approximate position 00°30'S, 130°47'E. The crew jumped overboard and the Captain of the vessel was picked up from the water.

5 Jan 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Darwin for her 9th war patrol. She was to carry out a special operation. The members of the 'Apricot' party had to be landed on the North coast of Celebes.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

11 Jan 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) landed a reconnaissance party on one of the beaches that had been selected. They returned after 1,5 hours. This beach was not suited as there was a high cliff beyond it.

12 Jan 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) again landed the reconnaissance party on one of the other beaches that had been selected. They signalled that all was well this time.

13 Jan 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) picked up the reconnaissance party. They had been spotted by natives and brought these with them. As this might have alarmed the Japanese it was decided not to land here.

In the evening the reconnaissance party was landed on yet another beach. They signalled that all was O.K. after a while. The whole party and their supplies was landed in this spot the next evening.

K XV then set course towards the Soela Islands to capture a sailing vessel. Several were sighted but were so close inshore that it was not possible to capture one. On the 18th course was set to return to Darwin.

2 Feb 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Darwin for her 10th war patrol. She was to carry out a special operation. The members of the 'Firtree' party had to be landed on Pulau Mangoli. En-route supplies had to be landed on Pulau Nila.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

8 Feb 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) landed a reconnaissance party on another beach that seemed suitable. They were picked up again and stated that some members of the party that was to be landed were to be arrested by the Japanese. The landing on Mangoli was then cancelled.

12 Feb 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) landed a reconnaissance party on Pulau Saparua. They were retrieved the next day as the natives did not want to co-operate due to fear of the Japanese.

14 Feb 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) called at Pulau Nila to have a meeting the leader of the party that operated there.

24 May 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Fremantle for her 12th war patrol. She was to carry out a special operation. A party ('Parsnip') was to be landed on the North coast of Java.

For the daily positions of HrMs K XV during this patrol see the map below.

28 May 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) arrived at Onslow to fuel and pick up fresh provisions. However the fresh provisions had been landed at the wrong airfield. K XV was ordered to wait while the fresh provisions would be flown in.

29 May 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) is ordered to proceed to Exmouth Gulf to pick up her fresh provisions there. She arrived at Exmouth Gulf later in the same day.

30 May 1945HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) departed Exmouth Gulf for her patrol area. The fresh provisions had still not arrived so fresh provisions were received from USS Coucal.

6 Jun 1945During the night of 6 / 7 June 1945 HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) landed the 'Parsnip' party on the North coast of Java near Mandalika light. The party was picked up on the 8th. They had been spotted by the Japanese (and killed two of them).